Saturday, December 10, 2011

I’m sure some of you remember the backlash of the Tina Anderson story. The Independent Fundamental Baptist Churches all felt they were being branded for actions taken by the few. Yes, you tend to hear these type of responses anytime something ugly like this happens. Unfortunately, the victims tend to be lost in most of it.

Sadly, Bob Jones University is showing that Chuck Phelp’s response ISN’T all that uncommon. Sounds like the ‘few’ are the ones that can see the failings in this case.

On a very optimistic note, there have been students from the Bob Jones University that have stepped up to call out issues that arose that made them feel uncomfortable and unsafe. Chuck Phelps as you may remember feels that he is the true victim in what happened. He has taken credit for the conviction of Ernie Willis, and yet still feels justified on leaving his website up calling Tina Anderson a liar. How can you take credit for a conviction of the rapist, and then call the rape victim a liar?Could be one of the principals that make the students uneasy.

When the students found that Chuck Phelps was on the board of BJU a protest was started. They had a petition online for signatures, and started a Facebook page called, ‘Do Right BJU’. BJU is a very strict school, and the students were instructed to step down (stop creation of page) and remove the Facebook page. They have not done so at this point, and frankly it would be wise if the university addressed their concerns. Most knew when the students were asked to stop the chances of expulsion were highly likely. BJU also issued a statement that has been removed, but people uploaded screenshots online.

Sadly, the university had taken the stand in agreement with Chuck Phelps that he was indeed the victim in the Tina Anderson Case. They decided to stand behind their man, and if you read the statement itself? Its drips with manipulation.

I’m NOT going to talk about spanking. I want to write today about the insensitivity towards tragic life altering events.

The Pearls have a book called, How to Train Up a Child. There have been children killed by the parents that claim they follow the Pearls teachings. When the first child died I think most people were a bit take back by the Pearl’s reaction. They pretty much blew it off as nonsense. Now we have other children that died, and I wrote about one named Lydia The Girl The Pearls Laughed At.

We are talking about a death of a child. The parents are arrested. We have siblings that are mourning not only at the loss of their parents, but their sister as well. You have community, friends, neighbors – a whole network of Lydia’s life reeling over what happened.

The parents took teachings on discipline out of book, and took it to a level that killed their child. No, Debi and Michael Pearl did not kill those children directly. Their reaction to their deaths though were immoral.

They speak of the bible, but showed no grace, humility, or compassion towards what happened. They were to busy getting defensive over their book being brought up as a possible tool that the murderous parents used.

My five grown children are laughing at your foolish, uninformed criticism of God’s method of child training, for their kids—my 17 grandkids—are laughing . . . because that is what they do most of the time.

People all around the world, in places like Russia, China, Germany, New Zealand, Guatemala, Peru, Africa, and fifty other countries are laughing with joy because after applying the Biblical principles found in our books they finally have happy and obedient children.

Even my chickens are laughing . . . well, actually it more like cackling, because they just laid another organic egg for my breakfast and they know that it was that same piece of ¼ inch plastic supply line that trained the dogs not to eat chicken....

You can read the rest of it on Lydia’s page I linked above.

Does this not come across as insensitive to anyone else out there?

Elizabeth Ester was on the talk show with Mr. Pearl today. I noticed his demeanor wasn’t the same as the letters he leaves on his website. He didn’t preach to everyone about how they were foolish, uninformed people that didn’t understand God’s method of child training. He didn’t laugh at them because they will not have happy and obedient children.

The insensitivity towards the children is what helped the Pearls gain this attention. I guess they are reaping what they sowed. People are not going to look at you and your teachings with compassion when you mock, ridicule, and ‘laugh’ at dead children. Its common sense.

Most people can show some compassion towards a child that was beat to death, and its telling when a Christian Ministry (that is what they call it) can not.

No. It seems his followers are the ones feeling mocked today. The Christian Post wrote a story on, “To Spank or Not To Spank”.

But today, the topic of biblical spanking has reached such a peak in debate and conversation that it is time for Christians to make the case as to what biblical training is and is not. Approximately 95 percent of all liberal media outlets, the same media outlets that are driven to squash Christianity and our current conservative value system, is also "spinning" perspectives on physically disciplining and training our children. If we do not let our voices be heard and truth be told, this, along with basic religious freedoms, will be taken away from us as we are seeing at an alarming rate.
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As the Rev. Michael Pearl accurately writes on his website No Greater Joy Ministries: “The people who condemn biblical chastisement do not believe the Bible. They judge others by their own experience. The only time they have ‘hit’ their children, or been tempted to, was when they were angry. They assume that when we spank it is with the same hostility they have felt.”

As I mentioned they are so busy being defensive they totally miss the point. They accused people of ‘spinning’ perspectives, and yet don’t you just love the spin Rev. Michael Pearl used. He wrongly assumes that those that are upset are the ones that hit when angry. How they seem to be projecting onto him.

In the article they get close, but were given no cigar as the saying goes:

And again Pearl states, “Opponents of the biblical use of the rod support their position by pointing to its occasional misuse. It is our contention that all authority is misused from time to time, but that misuse does not negate the legitimacy of the office itself, rather of the ones who abuse their sacred authority. When the courts are unjust or dishonest, we do not abolish the office of judge or the administration of law. When a law enforcement agent is corrupted by money or a desire for power, we do not fire all the policemen. When a president of the United States is hedonistic and sells favors, enriching himself through crooked deals, we do not resort to a dictatorship. When state social workers molest children and abuse them, we do not stop all social work.”

There is no doubt that the parents misused their position, and if they read the cases it went further that the ‘biblical rod’. Those children didn’t laugh like your family and your chickens Rev. Pearl.

The misuse of the position of authority IS the key here! Everyone can agree on that! Sadly, the Pearls and their followers are more upset about their book being discussed by their own reaction. The fallout is of their own making.

Its not the liberal media, or the secular doctors, studies or courts. Its was your cold hearted response. There is NO DOUBT the book and the Pearl’s ministry would have come up for discussion because of its controversial nature. Debi and Michael Pearl’s response was like gas on a fire – since they love visuals.

It should have been a time to ask others to pray for the family, and then use that moment as a ‘teaching moment’. It would have been very appropriate to remind parents about misuse of the rod. The ramblings about the abolishing the office of Judge when you find one bad one? It’s a silly example, and also a spin.

Just a side note here, but if you look at the article today? They quoted a couple from an organization called Christian Discipline. Ahem! I don’t think that is the same kind of discipline that you think it is Mr. PEARL! They speak about ‘spanking wives’ on that site! Don’t we even research our sources?
Debi and Michael have horrible responses, and it shows their wisdom is in serious question when it comes to these types of things. It highly offensive, and you bring on the trouble and heartache by your own words and actions.

Maybe a hire a professional to deal with responses. Your spin comes off as insensitive, and your followers coming to your defense? It makes things worse. Thankfully, their response towards Hanna was better. They still had to throw in their digs at the end, but it came across as a bit more compassionate.

Here is a quote from Elizabeth Esther:

Additionally, if the Pearls had shown a little humility, grace and genuine sorrow about these tragedies, then the line of questioning wouldn’t be as tough. But instead, the Pearls have repeatedly–and brashly–defended their views, refused to modify their harsh recommendations all while calling their critics “uninformed” and accusing bloggers like myself of inflammatory rhetoric.

Lastly, here is clip from one of the news programs. I think they were respectful towards Debi and Michael Pearl.